Amid high security and strict COVID-19 measures, governments around the world began meeting at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal last week with an ambitious goal: to save nature by 2030.
However, the preliminary negotiations that took place before the official launch of COP15 produced little progress on the “global biodiversity framework” that the countries hope to sign.
About 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries are meeting for two weeks to negotiate an eight-year plan to preserve and restore biodiversity.
Biodiversity is threatened by deforestation, overfishing, invasive species, industrial agriculture, pollution and climate change.
Although relations between Canada and China have been difficult in recent years, the two countries put aside some of their differences to host the conference jointly. Prime Minister Trudeau, with Mr. Guilbeault, and Huang Runqiu, Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment, chaired the conference and opened it together.
Among the objectives envisaged: to preserve 30% of the land and water of the planet by 2030, and to accept the fair and equitable sharing of the advantages of genetic resources – in medicine, for example. Developed countries generally benefit more from these resources than the developing countries from which they often originate.
Minister Guilbeault was pressed on the fact that Canada has not met the targets set out in the last international biodiversity accord, signed in 2010. Guilbeault said the Trudeau government has now committed “a level of record investment” in terms of the environment.
Until the end of COP15, which ends on December 19, negotiators and other delegates will work to reach a future plan that all participating countries can sign.
Prime Minister Trudeau is striving to make the environment part of his legacy. According to the Prime Minister, nature is threatened and attacked. Trudeau wants Canada to commit to safeguarding nature, and says he has agreed to protect 30% of nature by 2030.
On Wednesday last week, the Prime Minister also made an announcement that put indigenous people first. The Prime Minister announced $800 million over seven years, starting in 2023-24, to support up to four Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. When completed, these projects could protect an additional million square kilometres. This investment is a big step forward in nature protection across the country and will help advance Canada’s ambitious goals of conserving 25 percent of land and water by 2025, and 30 percent of each them by 2030.
As delegates from around the world continue to gather in Montreal, Canada will continue to champion its leadership role in nature conservation.
Finally, today, Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced new measures at COP15 focusing on the Critical Minerals Strategy, continued support for Indigenous Knowledge and, finally, youth engagement in natural resources.
COP15 touts ambitious goals for a country that is struggling to meet the environmental markers in place. Will Canada, once again, make a COP-out?